| The power went out. Again! | | | | could onlysurmise that Jim also had a great family life. |
| I looked out my second story office window and knew | | | | Why do I tell this story? Simple. It's a simple story of |
| exactly why. | | | | real success! |
| I could hear the sounds throughout the morning. This | | | | No, Jim is not famous. Probably never will be. Nor is he |
| crew of 4 menand 3 bucket trucks stringing power | | | | rich as Icould tell, or any of those things that people |
| lines along the new poles theyhad been planting in the | | | | usually associate withthe term 'success.' If this man |
| front and back yards of my neighborhoodthe past few | | | | won the lottery today I'd bet the farmhe'd be planting |
| weeks. | | | | poles and stringing wire and having fun with hiscrew |
| Often during this time, I would be working on my laptop | | | | the very next week. He is, judging by my brief |
| on the frontporch and watched this professional | | | | encounter withhim, a simple man who possesses one |
| teamwork in totalsynchronicity, moving from pole to | | | | of the true keys ofsuccess: He loves what he does! |
| pole in planned sequence. Firstit was connecting the | | | | Let me ask you this? Are you doing what you love? |
| phone lines. Then, cable. Today, and finally,from the | | | | Are you havingfun with your 'job'? Do you feel a real |
| back alley, the electricity. | | | | sense of purpose and genuinepassion for what you |
| What was of extreme interest to me was the | | | | are offering people, be it your labor, yourcustomers or |
| foreman of this well-oiled machine. A big, burly | | | | your employees? Do you bring those people |
| middle-aged fellow whose sheer statureand hard look | | | | aroundyou the great value that they deserve and that |
| would intimidate most. But, he always uttered | | | | you are capable ofgiving? Are you respected by |
| hiscommands, some very loudly as his underlings were | | | | those around you for what you do? |
| often thirty-fivefeet in the air, with warm authority. | | | | Are you, well, happy? |
| You could tell his crew really liked and had great | | | | Let me assure you, if you answered "no" to any of the |
| respect for him. | | | | abovequestions, it's far from too late to change |
| Although this was far from your typical 'lean on your | | | | everything in your life! |
| shovel' squad,they still joked while working at a | | | | In my top-selling eBook, Success: A Spiritual Matter, I |
| well-managed pace. Bossman,whose job description | | | | had theextreme honor of interviewing 14 very |
| no doubt mandated a no hands-on, nophysical labor | | | | successful entrepreneurs. |
| approach, was always doing something to speedthings | | | | One of those, Paul Lemberg, offered this: "Make sure |
| along, be it picking up refuse or spooling wire. In fact, | | | | your work ispersonally meaningful. If it's not - change |
| whilethey were in the process of connecting my | | | | what you're doing!" Hecontinues, "Figure out what your |
| power, guess who waspruning the overgrown pine | | | | purpose is. Not a purpose for youto shellac to a piece |
| tree branches in my backyard to makeit easier for his | | | | of wood and put on the wall. Not a purposelike a |
| boys? | | | | check box for your business plan. But a purpose like |
| It was at this point that I brought my high-wire friends a | | | | "whatare you here on earth for?" That kind of |
| sampling ofmy special blend coffee (I prepared this, | | | | purpose." |
| just prior to 'lights out'),reserved usually for special | | | | One of the famous quotes of legendary Jim Rohn |
| company. Setting a tray down on thepatio table, I | | | | goes like this: |
| engaged 'Jim' in conversation and remarked how much | | | | "Turn your vocation into your vacation." |
| I enjoyed watching them work and how much it | | | | One of the highlights of putting Success: A Spiritual |
| reminded me of mygreat production team when I | | | | Mattertogether was conducting a live interview with |
| owned a drycleaning business. | | | | Jim Rohn. He madethis amazing statement: "Beware |
| Another well-oiled, and fun to run machine. | | | | of the thief on the street that'safter your purse. But |
| His sun-hardened face beamed with pride as he | | | | also be aware of the thief in your mind that'safter your |
| began telling meabout what a great group of guys he | | | | promise." |
| had and how they were themost productive crew in | | | | Don't let that thief steal your promise and keep from |
| this large company. | | | | the worldeverything that you have to offer. You CAN |
| No wonder! | | | | do what you love. You |
| Our conversation was not a long one. Jim had to get | | | | CAN start right now. |
| his boys backto the matter at hand, and that was to | | | | Contemporary mythologist, Joseph Campbell, offers 3 |
| get my power back. But itserved to make me think | | | | words as thenumber one rule of life, which pervades |
| that here was a man who loved what hedoes, made | | | | all cultures and religions: |
| a positive impact on those around him and earned | | | | "Follow Your Bliss". |
| thesincere respect of those under, and, above him. I | | | | Isn't it about time that you followed yours? |